It is known that a conventional voltage regulator (VR) can be used to regulate a DC voltage supplied to a load such as a microprocessor. A VR can include a power converter, such as a DC-DC converter, and may include other components such as a controller for controlling operation of the power converter.
An example of a DC-DC converter is a synchronous buck converter, which has minimal components, and therefore is widely used in VR applications. In an example application, the input voltage to the buck converter is typically 12VDC. An output voltage produced by the VR may be 5.0VDC, 3.3 VDC, or even lower.
Conventional multiphase interleaved VR power supply topologies can include two or more power converter phases that operate in parallel with each other to convert power and supply power to a corresponding load. Implementation of a multiphase voltage converter topology (as compared to a single voltage converter phase topology) can therefore enhance the output current capability of a power supply system.
A typical configuration of a VR such as a so-called synchronous buck converter includes an inductor, a high side switch, and a low side switch. A controller associated with the buck converter repeatedly pulses the high side switch ON to convey power from a power source through the inductor to a dynamic load. The controller repeatedly pulses the low side switch ON to provide a low impedance path from a node of the inductor to ground in order to control an output of the buck converter. Thus, the energy stored in the inductor increases during a time when the high side switch is ON and decreases during a time when the low side switch is ON. During switching operation, the inductor transfers energy from the input to the output of the converter.
Today's microprocessors and high performance ASIC chips can operate on low voltages and require a wide range of currents such as less than 1 Ampere and over 100 amperes. A load can operate at these extremes of current for long periods of time.